


In Its Reasons For Give & Take & Sleep & Wake & Pray For Day & Night To Come

by TinySpiney



Series: I See You [13]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Android Hank Anderson, Android Jeffrey Fowler, Boys Being Boys, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Mentioned Cole Anderson, Mentioned Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Mentioned Elijah Kamski, Role Reversal, and fowler's lets be honest, friends adopting their kids and gushing about it to each other, in the most wholesome of ways, just dick around in the bar until hank has to go home, listen i had a lot of fun writing this, rated for hank's swearing, you cant tell me that they wouldn't do this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24870511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinySpiney/pseuds/TinySpiney
Summary: Title is from Fate of the Stars by Tally HallI also wanted an excuse to show people these genius fucking lyrics
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Jeffrey Fowler
Series: I See You [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730275
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	In Its Reasons For Give & Take & Sleep & Wake & Pray For Day & Night To Come

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Fate of the Stars by Tally Hall
> 
> I also wanted an excuse to show people these genius fucking lyrics

_ December 24th 2089 4:02 PM _

  
  


To say Hank was excited would be an understatement. Exuberant was a better way to define how he felt, or maybe enraptured was good, maybe even electrified. The point was, despite having access to a dictionary in his head, Hank simply couldn’t find a word to describe how intensely he was feeling happy. He was sure Jeffrey felt the same way. They were going to be filling out papers that made their kids exactly that,  _ their kids. _ After Connor told him what Chris had said at Niles’ birthday party, Hank and Jeffrey immediately hatched a plan. It took some time to get there. But oh, were they ready. Apparently Jeffrey hadn’t cared much about holidays being an AI, but Hank quite enjoyed them. They gave him a time to further learn about humanity and how it functioned. It was interesting to watch, even more so to participate. 

At the moment, they were waiting outside of the precinct. While Hank was the captain, he was still rather nervous about it. These adoption papers were usually for humans to adopt androids into their families back in the day. They were rarely used now outside of adoption of human children. But even then, those could be exchanged for adoption papers. Androids just liked using the ones pertaining to androids. After a few minutes of officers starting to gather at the doors and watch their captain, Hank shook his head and dragged Jeffrey into the building with him. A few people scattered from the door when they got closer. Though honestly, it settled Hank’s nerves a bit more. People were people, and people were curious by nature. That was normal. As was he and Jeffrey seeing their kids as their kids. This was nothing new. Hank had seen those boys as his kids since 2038, Jeffrey had taken in Elijah as his own in the late 2040’s. The only thing that was changing was the fact that it would be legal now. 

They chatted while Hank guided Jeffrey into the office. About how life was going for each of them. Apparently Jeffrey was busy helping Elijah run his CyberLife replacement business. It specialised in updates and patches to further make androids more human-like. He apparently was helping with the DM Series project and getting ready to start putting together the model Cole would go into next. Hank had to admit, it was odd to think about his grandson transferring between models every couple years. But it was something that made Connor so relieved about his development he looked like he was going to cry. It only proved Hank had a lot further to go before he truly understood humanity. If he ever did at all. Experiencing life alongside someone wasn’t the same as having your own childhood after all. Hank was brought out of his thoughts by Jeffrey sitting in his chair and calling his name. 

  
  


“With my blue shirt on, do I look like a police captain?”

“You kinda do, actually. It’s creepy. Get outta my fuckin’ chair.”

“You gonna move me yourself if I don’t?” He leaned back in the chair and folded his hands behind his head with a smirk. “Don’t forget Hank, I’m a replica of Jeffrey Fowler, I have enough patience to deal with an entire seminar of college kids.”

“You’re also a deviant android now, which means you feel it if I do this;” Hank leaned over the desk and flicked his friend in the nose. “And this;” He gently tugged on Jeffrey’s ear with a grin. “Or I could just straight up handcuff you in an awkward position.”

“ _ Hank. _ ” Jeffrey straightened out and used his teacher's voice. One CyberLife only had him use a few times with Hank why he was still the man’s handler. It instantly made him stand up straight and then resume looking for the old papers. “Thank you.”

  
  


They laughed about the interaction after a beat of silence. It was nice to be able to spend time with his friend again, especially in a physical space. Hank could actually, properly, feel when Jeffrey put a hand on his arm or his shoulder. Which meant that it was likely that Hank’s hug was the very first physical sensation he ever had. The thought made him oddly emotional. Though he shook away the thought and focused on getting the papers they would need, and stuffing them in a file folder into his crossbody bag he brought. With that done, they could wait until tomorrow to actually get everything sorted out with their respective kids. The rest of today? Just guys bein’ dudes.

Just as they did going into the office, Hank and Jeffrey talked while leaving it. They continued their previous conversation of what life was like these days. Jeffrey was busy, so was Hank. Apparently Jeffrey was quite taken with how Hank treated Cole, and asked him questions about it. The real Jeffrey Fowler never had kids, so this was entirely new territory for the man. Honestly speaking, Hank didn’t really know how to explain why he treated Cole the way he did. All he knew was that the little boy was his grandson and he loved him to bits. He didn’t exactly understand the instincts he had, so it was a bit hard to explain them. Though Jeffrey still seemed to somewhat understand as Hank spoke. As they left the building, Hank got an idea. A thing parents did while getting together and talking about their kids was go for drinks. They could go to the bar and chat for a while before going home. 

Jeffrey, having never had an alcoholic beverage before, seemed very excited about the prospect of it all. So on to the nearest open bar they went! The closest one was the one only half a mile away from the DPD, and Hank recalled his walk there fondly to his companion. Jeffrey joked that he had an old man’s legs for real now, and Hank shot back with his usual banter of Jeffrey being a dead professor. The bar was, quite obviously, run by someone very different. It was android friendly, and usually had them as it’s patrons. Many people claimed they made the best thirium blend martinis in the city. Hank had never had them before, his schedule and home life just never left any time for it. But here and now? Fuck it, the here and now was the bar and Jeffrey. He was gonna try the thirium blend martini and no one was going to stop him. The two sat down at the bar and Hank ordered two of them from the bartender. Some young human, they had neon green hair and a lot of facial piercings. 

They sipped at their drinks once they arrived, thanking the bartender of course, watching the latest Detroit Gears game up on the television. Hank was honestly pretty impressed with how the game was going. Home was winning by five points so far, but it was still a little early to tell how it would end. Which sparked a discussion; Hank started asking about what Jeffrey had found as hobbies. Or if he even had any at all beside building model planes. To which Jeffrey rolled his eyes and said he had taken up embroidery recently. He was shit at it. But he still enjoyed it, found it to be calming. Well, as long as he was having fun Hank had no complaints. Then Jeffrey started asking Hank about his own hobbies. He just rolled his eyes and said he didn’t have a lot of time for them outside of work, trying to help the boys with coming back to the DPD, helping out with Cole, and using hsi rest mode for updates and the like. Though if he were to pick the thing he liked the most when he had a minute of quiet? Reading. He had read  _ Good Omens _ at least a hundred times over in the last few decades, even watching the miniseries more than he’d care to admit. He liked Crowley and his humour. 

  
  


“Okay, so you’re telling me that you read a book about the almost apocalypse and decided it was a good idea to read it a shit ton more?” Jeffrey leaned against the counter and nodded sagely. Then pointed at Hank with the hand holding his drink after taking a sip. “You, Hank, have a problem.”

“I do not, Jeffrey! I like the book, is that such a crime?”

“When you read it well over a hundred times it is!”

“It’s a good book!”

“I don’t doubt it if you’ve read it so many fuckin’ times!” 

“You read it, then!” Hank huffed in only mild annoyance and set his drink down. He could tell it was starting to alter his awareness and he wanted to be able to be lucid upon arriving home. It wasn’t even that late. “Jeffrey, we gotta go somewhere else. We’re gettin’ tipsy already.”

“Park?” Hank squinted at his friend before leaving a tip of ten dollars on the counter. Jeffrey just shrugged and pointed to the door. “I don’t fucking know, Hank. I’m inebriated and I wanna go to the fucking park to sit down and watch the snow fall.”

  
  


Hank held the door open for his friend, and they climbed into his automated car. He set the destination to Ambassador Bridge Park out of instinct and taking Cole there so many times. He realised he’d have to get home early tonight if he wanted to fully sleep this off and get up when Cole tried to drag them out of bed in the morning. Hank couldn’t help himself as he started rambling to Jeffrey about Cole. About how such a sweet kid he was, how he always loved androids, the fact that he always wanted to be an android when he grew up according to his father. Jeffrey laughed as Hank explained the last one. 

Apparently Jeffrey liked Cole and shared the same views. He was a kind soul, always liked to make friends. The pair talked about the little boy as the car parked itself. In the same spot as the night Connor told Hank about his son. Hank shook the bittersweet memory away and got out of the car without a word. It was cold, snowing steadily but not too hard, and it was pretty. The city still splayed out before him and his friend like a watercolour painting. Jeffrey went to sit on the bench and watch the snowfall over the river. Hank leaned against the railing much like he did that night. It was quiet. The ambient sounds of the city made a comfortable white noise to fill the relative silence between the two friends. 

A familiar worry sat in Hank’s chest and left a weight there. He knew fully well by now that it was a feeling associated with his kids. That it was something akin to parental worry. If it felt that tense and bad now, then Hank was sure he was going to have to go to a technician on Christmas day when the kids opened their gifts. He heaved out a sigh and watched as the city moved. Blissfully unaware of the two friends that planned on officially adopting their kids. A city that was abuzz with holiday preparations and events. The streaks of headlights in the distance, the twinkle lights through windows, the general commotion, the steady hustle and bustle of the city. No city ever slept. Not even on Christmas Eve. Hank wished his thoughts would rest for a minute. He knew there was no way in hell that the boys would say no, they all called him their father anyway. Rather affectionately to boot! But he nagging fear in the back of his head. Telling him that they didn’t really want to be his kids, they got dragged into it by Connor. 

  
  


“Hey, Jeff?” Hank turned to lean against the railing and face his old friend. The man’s eyes narrowed slightly in confusion before nodding. “What made you so sure Elijah sees you as his father?”

“You nervous too?” Jeffrey chuckled and stood up to stand beside his friend, leaning his forearms on the railing and looking out to the city. Hank did so as well. “I’m...not sure. It’s some kind of instinct. Telling me that despite the fact we were both created by someone else,” Jeffrey put a hand out then closed it into a fist. “That he’s still my boy. I think you experienced something similar.”

“Kinda-- Well. Yeah, actually.”

“Tell me about it. I would like to know how it feels for you, compare life experiences.”

“Once a teacher, always a teacher, huh?” Hank nudged Jeffrey and snickered. “Uhh, well, I’m not sure how to describe it. But it’s this overwhelming urge to make sure that the boys flourish. That they’re safe and healthy and happy. I want them safe and loved, I want them to be alright. I’d love to see it happen. Watch as they grow and change and become the best versions of themselves they can be. Something… It’s something like that. What about you and Elijah?”

“That’s...exactly what it feels like. I’m so proud of him every time I see more of who he really is. Who he’s always been underneath everything Chloe turned him into. I know it’ll take a long time for him to fully come out of his shell, but I want him to know I’ll be there when he does. Or if he chooses to wait a little while still.”

“Fatherhood at its finest, as I’ve been told by my own son.” 

“Connor?” Jeffrey smiled as Hank hummed at him in response. “He’s a fine young man, Hank. I’m not surprised you deviated because you wanted to make sure he and his brothers were okay.”

“I like to think I would have deviated because of Connor sooner or later anyway. Regardless of what happened.”

“I’d like to think that too.”

  
  


They stood by the water for quite some time. Silent and enjoying each other’s company beside themselves. It was a cold December night in Detroit. With two friends who had no business actually talking to each other when getting down to it. Hank was an android that was a prototype, meant to break eventually before shutting down forever. Jeffrey was the AI replica of a dead university professor, and Hank’s old handler back during the revolution. Realistically, neither of them should have made it to 2089. Yet there they both were. Leaning against a railing in the frigid winter evening watching the city pass them by. It wasn’t like it was below zero, they could stay out a bit longer before their systems would give them warnings about the cold. 

Though when Hank got a message from Connor asking when he would be home, he sighed and told his old friend he could only stay out another hour. It was nice to be able to idly exist alongside Jeffrey. To be able to simply be with his very first friend. Hell, his best friend. Even after the decades had come and gone. Jeffrey seemed to understand the reason and smiled. They didn’t speak again after that. A contented silence stretching on between the two as they simply enjoyed the other’s company. It had been a long time since Hank had this much time to himself. Time that he usually used to read. Without another thought, Hank set an alarm for an hour from then, and dragged Jeffrey back to the bench. He cleared his throat, despite not needing to, and pulled up a pdf of  _ Good Omens. _ He was gonna show Jeffrey that it was, in fact, a really good fucking book. 

  
  


“In The Beginning. It was a nice day. All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn't been invented yet…”

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> i,,, couldn't help the word count. it was too perfect with the good omens reference


End file.
